The heat of VR and AR has not faded; what is this newly emerged MR? How does the industry view this technology?
Graeme Devine, Chief Innovation Officer at Magic Leap, presented the company’s long-term technological goals at last week’s Games of Change Festival. Magic Leap has always been a company of great interest in making computer graphics appear as if they belong to the real world. In recent years, this concept has begun to diverge into two directions: virtual reality (VR), which replaces the real world with a virtual one using head-mounted devices, and augmented reality (AR), which overlays computer graphics onto the real world.
During his presentation, Devine introduced a third concept: mixed reality (MR). The primary distinction between mixed reality and augmented reality appears to be that AR has limitations, while MR is cooler. Throughout Devine’s presentation, several images demonstrated what users would find when searching for “augmented reality” on Google. These included uninspiring iPhone games and shoppers in stores using apps to search for information. In Devine’s words, mixed reality is the dream of the future.
In reality, this concept is not new. Mixed reality emerged in the 1990s, defined as all technologies that fall between the real and digital worlds. Subsequently, the concept of mixed reality was often used interchangeably with augmented reality, with AR gradually becoming the more commonly used term. However, over the past year or so, Magic Leap and Microsoft have been increasingly emphasizing mixed reality to signify that their developed products are fundamentally different.
Some technology experts also acknowledge a distinction between these two concepts, albeit a small one. One explanation is that augmented reality overlays semi-transparent images onto the real world, whereas mixed reality overlays opaque images. Another perspective suggests that the difference between AR and MR lies in how virtual objects interact with users and the real world. Thomas Malisiewicz, a deep learning engineer at Magic Leap, recently stated that mixed reality blends augmented reality and virtual reality, adding new elements to create convincing images. He believes this will be the “ultimate domain.”
In public, Magic Leap may never admit that its technology falls under the category of augmented reality. However, there is currently no unified stance within the company. Several Magic Leap employees, including the chief engineer and the head of computer vision engineering, still refer to the company’s technology as augmented reality. In patent applications, Magic Leap acknowledges that these two concepts can be used interchangeably.
This applies to engineering development, not brand promotion. When promoting innovative technologies, augmented reality is not a favorable concept due to its long-standing presence. As early as 2010, augmented reality was listed as one of Time’s “10 Tech Trends to Watch.”
Shawn Cheng of Vayner Capital pointed out that the association with common things has adversely affected the concept of augmented reality, limiting users’ imagination and expectations of this technology. Furthermore, augmented reality is often perceived as closely related to Google Glass, which did not succeed after its developer version was launched in 2013.
Philip Ryan, Associate Partner at brand consulting firm Vivaldi Partners Group, said, “I believe Microsoft and Magic Leap are trying to distinguish themselves from Google Glass.” Tom Sepanski of another brand firm, Landor Associates, added, “They are trying to convey the message that ‘mixed reality is entirely different.'” He believes the term “mixed reality” is more intuitive, memorable, and still filled with a sense of technology.
Magic Leap’s recent enthusiasm for the concept of “mixed reality” is not the first attempt to distance itself from the term “augmented reality.” The company initially referred to its product as “cinematic reality.” When Microsoft unveiled HoloLens in January 2015, it bypassed the concept of augmented reality altogether. Brian Blau, an analyst at Gartner, said people initially labeled HoloLens as augmented reality, but Microsoft insisted this was incorrect. Microsoft believed HoloLens “would be something more exciting, an upgrade from augmented reality.”
No such products are currently on sale. Ryan noted that it seems foolish to debate technical terminology when no one is paying attention, and ultimately, users will decide what to call this technology. He said, “For now, it’s just engineers talking among themselves.”
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